The Fried Chicken Thighs at Bottle Cap Restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on August 23rd, 2011.

The Fried Chicken Thighs at Bottle Cap Restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on August 23rd, 2011.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

Image 2 of 12

Diners enjoy dinner at Bottle Cap Restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., on August 23rd, 2011.

Diners enjoy dinner at Bottle Cap Restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., on August 23rd, 2011.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

Image 3 of 12

The Grilled Bavette Steak at Bottle Cap Restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on August 23rd, 2011.

The Grilled Bavette Steak at Bottle Cap Restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on August 23rd, 2011.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

Image 4 of 12

The bar at Bottle Cap Restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on August 23rd, 2011.

The bar at Bottle Cap Restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on August 23rd, 2011.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

Image 5 of 12

Image 6 of 12

The Heirloom Tomato Salad at Bottle Cap Restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on August 23rd, 2011.

The Heirloom Tomato Salad at Bottle Cap Restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on August 23rd, 2011.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

Image 7 of 12

The Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Tomato Soup at the Bottle Cap Restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on August 23rd, 2011.

The Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Tomato Soup at the Bottle Cap Restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on August 23rd, 2011.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

Image 8 of 12

A couple enjoys dinner at Bottle Cap Restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., on August 23rd, 2011.

A couple enjoys dinner at Bottle Cap Restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., on August 23rd, 2011.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

Image 9 of 12

The exterior of Bottle Cap Restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on August 23rd, 2011.

The exterior of Bottle Cap Restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on August 23rd, 2011.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

Image 10 of 12

Image 11 of 12

The Devil's Food Cupcake at Bottle Cap Restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on August 23rd, 2011.

The Devil's Food Cupcake at Bottle Cap Restaurant in San Francisco, Calif., is seen on August 23rd, 2011.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

Image 12 of 12

Bottle Cap needs time to carry on Washbag's legacy

1 / 12

Back to Gallery

History has a way of luring operators to restaurants. The Washington Square Bar & Grill had a healthy, some would say legendary, 30-plus-year run. It took on several new owners and, for a time, a new name, before returning to its roots. That didn't work either, so it closed a year ago.

Now the restaurant space has been reborn once again as Bottle Cap. It's owned by chef Dane Boryta and his wife, Elizabeth Ferro, and they're banking on recapturing its past glory. In fact, the dangling gold leaf WSBG sign still swings in the breeze on the newly painted baby blue exterior.

Someone Keeps Sending This Man Free Pizza, Sushi and Greek Food and He Is Not Happy About ItTime

These Cupcakes Can Tell You Which House You Belong InDelish

How to Make Crispy Salmon Fillets with Sesame-Soy DrizzleMyRecipes

How to Make Fish TacosMyRecipes

Pizza Box Pizza Oven ReviewMyRecipes

Inside you can see traces of what once was there, although the photographs and memorabilia have been removed and the scarred woodwork and walls have a new coat of pistachio paint (which makes everyone look as if they were recovering from a hangover), and brightly painted and stenciled aqua tables. Panels of wallpaper resemble sweet Laura Ashley prints, looking somewhat out of place in a space that was once more of a man cave.

What hasn't changed is the layout: the bar visible from the entrance, the piano against the rear wall and the main dining room where the windows capture a view of Washington Square Park, an area where locals and tourists seem to mix comfortably.

As modern restaurants go, it's still a well-worn shoe. However, what made the Washbag successful wasn't the surroundings but the original owners, Ed and Mary Etta Moose, who attracted the crowd and created a convivial mystique that permeated the room. Now the space is a newly repainted shell waiting to be filled up.

Over my three visits, I kept hoping its personality might emerge. It never did, but maybe it will in the future. At least the owners have a good foundation. Ferro is usually on the floor making the rounds; the staff is friendly if somewhat green; and the cocktails are expertly made. Because the bar has always been a large part of the place's allure, that could be its salvation.

Mixed combinations

I can't say as much about the food. It's straightforward American, but the combinations are all over the board.

There's a pork chop with chile sauce, and salads with unlikely combinations. I still can't warm to treviso and Little Gem ($7) with melon, mint, fennel and cheese; to my mind, cheese and melon don't go, especially with this particular herb.

Then there's pierogi ($16), lamb ribs with a bourbon glaze ($11), and duck breast ($24) poached in tea with plums and wild rice. It's enough to make me scratch my head because I don't see a consistent core or insight to the cook's passions.

Still, some plates can be very good. I'd come in again for the fried chicken thighs ($8), where the boneless chunks of dark meat are thickly coated and crisped to hold in the natural juices; the accompanying dill yogurt dipping sauce was so good I can almost forgive the dried-out crescents of sliced celery covered with a white film on the side.

The heirloom tomato salad ($10) with dices of cured pork belly is also a well-executed idea, rounded out with arugula and a buttermilk dressing, but it was marred by stale croutons. I'd also come back for the lamb ribs and one night's special - a huge bowl of Padron peppers ($7) that seemed designed for a Manhattan ($9).

Hefty appetizers

Appetizer portions are almost the size of main courses. In fact, the grilled cheese ($9) is a regular-size sandwich made with Wagon Wheel cheese from Cowgirl Creamery, and a tomato soup the consistency of sauce. It's truly a meal in itself.

When it comes to main courses, the serving of local halibut ($23) is one of the largest - and most dried out - I've encountered, set on a bed of wild rice, with strings of vegetables and a smoked ratatouille on top.

The pork chop ($21), on the other hand, is juicy and perfectly cooked, thickly glazed with a sweet chile sauce that actually packs a wallop of heat. But it's served on too-firm Romano beans and shells of macaroni covered in curdled cheese, and the whole thing is a pile up of disparate flavors.

A muddled combination also marred the Castroville artichoke vegetarian main course ($17); the potato dumplings were more like soggy bread than gnocchi, the artichokes were leathery in spots, and the combination of mushrooms and peppers didn't seem to enhance the other ingredients.

Desserts (all $7) were highlights, including a plump berry pie encased by an excellent warm crust. I also loved the cupcake, which was actually an espresso-infused disk of cake with a crown of meringue - superb, and not too sweet. However, butterscotch pudding was thick and grainy and needs to be rethought.

Learning finer points

Service, like the interior and the food, hasn't grown into a fully realized entity. While the staff is exceptionally friendly, it's clear that the waiters haven't yet learned the finer points of their craft.

Yet even with the unevenness in the cooking, the prices are good and, unlike most new restaurants, there's no Healthy San Francisco service charge, so it feels like a deal. I'm just hoping that in time Bottle Cap can find its unique voice to carry on the legacy of the Washbag.

The wine list

Cocktails are definitely the beverage to order at Bottle Cap; the wine list seems like an afterthought.

The 24 selections cover the bases - one or two representing the main varietals - but the list is pretty basic and markups are on the high side.

For example, the 2009 Lemelson "Six Vineyards" Pinot Noir, which is $39 on the list ($10 by the glass), is about $20 retail; the 2010 Ostatu Rioja Blanco, which is $27 ($7 by the glass), retails for about $13.

Cocktails ($9), on the other hand, are well crafted and include a good version of the sidecar with an egg white cap; Pimm's Cup and Blood & Sand. Eight beers are available on draft, including Acme IPA ($6), Guinness ($7), Allagash White ($7) and New Dogtown Pale Ale ($6). The 11 bottles include Schlitz Original ($4).